Coldharbour Grazing: Equine Rehabilitation

Coldharbour Grazing: Equine Rehabilitation A small and passionate team specialising in rehabilitation and breaking/producing young horses.

Pre-training, breaking, grazing, spelling, rehabilitation, foaling

Well done Alex and Gerry 😀😀
04/03/2024

Well done Alex and Gerry 😀😀

We have a few rare spaces for grazing livery coming up, due to youngsters leaving to start their ridden careers! If you ...
03/02/2024

We have a few rare spaces for grazing livery coming up, due to youngsters leaving to start their ridden careers! If you are looking for short or long term herd grazing please contact Emma on 07868241315 (I can't always answer so please do WhatsApp me and I will ring back).

🟢 Herd grazing
🟢 Twice daily checks
🟢 Retirement or youngstock
🟢 Hay included in the price
🟢 Dry winter grazing
🟢 Field rotation
🟢 Well fenced
🟢 No shoes on any horse
🟢 Stable available if required for emergency
🟢 Highly experienced staff
🟢 Plenty of references
🟢 Deposit required
🟢 Reference required
🟢 Winter - £11.50/day
🟢 Summer - £8.60/day

We are looking for an experienced groom to assist in the day to day running of our rehabilitation yard/small stud includ...
23/01/2024

We are looking for an experienced groom to assist in the day to day running of our rehabilitation yard/small stud including the management of the equine water treadmill.

Must be confident handling all types of horses, youngsters through to fit competition horses. Must be knowledgeable and responsible enough to be left in sole charge/over seeing other staff members.

Must have an interest in rehabilitation and learning about the use of the water treadmill. Does not need to have worked on a water treadmill before as training can be provided but must be willing to carry out regular CPD and gain qualifications if/when needed.

Ideally experienced in ground work lunging/long reining. Ability to hack and possibly school a range of horses a bonus but not essential.

Must take pride in their work, be motivated for success and be a team player.

For more information please contact Emma on 07868241315 or email [email protected]

Yard postcode: SN78JE

As we say goodbye to 2023 we want to say a huge thank you to all those who have supported us throughout the year, client...
31/12/2023

As we say goodbye to 2023 we want to say a huge thank you to all those who have supported us throughout the year, clients, professionals, friends, family and in particular our amazing staff. We are extremely proud to have such a knowledgeable, hardworking team at Coldharbour, without whom we would be lost.

Thank you 🌟

Merry Christmas to all our wonderful clients and friends. We hope you have a fabulous day. Here are a few pics of some o...
25/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all our wonderful clients and friends.

We hope you have a fabulous day. Here are a few pics of some of the lovely horses at Coldharbour enjoying the festive period.

Conor, Emma & Darragh🎄🎁🎅

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse wear shoes on the treadmill?Yes, absolutely. The Aqua Icelander Equine Water Treadmill has a super ...
19/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse wear shoes on the treadmill?

Yes, absolutely. The Aqua Icelander Equine Water Treadmill has a super strong belt that was built to last! In fact when used in Iceland, where our treadmill was built, the horses often have ice nails in their shoes - this doesn't cause a problem for the belt, so, even if you have road nails in your horse's shoes they can still use our water treadmill!!

🤔 FAQ - Are horses cross tied when on the treadmill? How do you keep them looking forward and straight? Once a horse has...
18/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Are horses cross tied when on the treadmill? How do you keep them looking forward and straight?

Once a horse has done 1 to 3 sessions we normally cross tie them. We use long elastic cross ties that do not pull the horses head in but guide them to stay straight and looking forward. Research has shown horses tend to turn towards the handler on the treadmill which can cause muscle to be built unevenly.

If the cross ties don't suit a horse we have a handler each side of their head to keep them straight.

🤔 FAQ - What improvements have people reported?💡LOTS! Here are just a few:-improvement in gait abnormalities-improvement...
17/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - What improvements have people reported?

💡LOTS! Here are just a few:
-improvement in gait abnormalities
-improvement in straightness
-horse feeling stronger
-improved canter
-easier to collect
-better self-carriage
-reduction in swelling of joints/limbs
-more freedom behind the saddle
-improvement in medium and extended paces
-improvement in passage and piaffe
-more push at a jump
-bigger walk
-more rhymical walk
-reduction in locking stifle
-reduced scar tissue
-improved mental state (repeatedly reported by those with horses on box rest/doing a limited amount)
-better at holding legs up for feet to be picked out
-feeling softer through the back

📱WhatsApp Emma to book your first session 07868241315📱

🤔 FAQ - Are your sessions run by a physio/musculoskeletal practitioner?💡No - all our session are run by one of the exper...
16/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Are your sessions run by a physio/musculoskeletal practitioner?

💡No - all our session are run by one of the experienced Coldharbour team.

Why don't we have a practitioner to run the sessions? We know from chatting to you, our clients, that you want your own practitioner and/or vet to be the lead in your horses rehabilitation and fitness regimes. Therefore, we are happy to work with your practitioner and/or vet in developing the best program for your horse.

Please, please do take videos to show your practitioner and please communicate with us any feedback they may have and communicate with them any feedback we have. We are also, always happy to make a phone call and chat through your horses progress with them and we welcome you to invite your practitioner to come and watch your horse in action on the treadmill.

🤔 FAQ - Do horses like the water treadmill? 💡Definitely – It’s easy to tell the majority of horses really enjoy their se...
15/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Do horses like the water treadmill?

💡Definitely – It’s easy to tell the majority of horses really enjoy their sessions once they have visited a few times and are relaxed and confident in the environment.

🤔 FAQ - Can I watch the session/Can I take videos and pictures?💡Absolutely, please do come in, watch the session and tak...
14/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Can I watch the session/Can I take videos and pictures?

💡Absolutely, please do come in, watch the session and take as many videos and pictures as you like. We would love you to tag us on social media!

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse be sedated to go on the treadmill?💡The majority of horses do not need any sedation before going on ...
13/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse be sedated to go on the treadmill?

💡The majority of horses do not need any sedation before going on the treadmill, however, if you wish to administer sedation to your horse you are welcome to do with a prescription from your vet.

Please tell us before attending if you are planning on having your horse sedated for his/her session. Studies have shown that steady heart rate is usually achieved in 2-3 sessions and administering sedaline usually means an extra session is needed to reach steady state heart rate.

If a horse is too heavily sedated, we may not be able to proceed/may have to stop the session. Please do chat to us first!

📱WhatsApp Emma if you have any further questions on this📱

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse come after having a joint medicated?💡A horse shouldn’t come to the treadmill within the first 4 day...
12/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Can my horse come after having a joint medicated?

💡A horse shouldn’t come to the treadmill within the first 4 days after joint medication. Please ask your vet about using the water treadmill when you have your horse's joint medicated and please tell us before attending that your horse has had a joint medicated - this will help with giving your horse the most appropriate session for his/her needs.

🤔 FAQ - What temperature is the water and what is in it?💡The water is cooled to approximately 5C.The water is salt water...
11/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - What temperature is the water and what is in it?

💡The water is cooled to approximately 5C.

The water is salt water. We keep the level of salt at between 2% and 3% (seawater is 3.5%). As well as regular salt there is also Epsom salts in the water.

The water is also chlorinated. It is just below the level of swimming pool. This helps keep the water clean and bacteria free.

🤔 FAQ - How long until I see a difference in my horse?💡This is always a tough question to answer! Every horse is so diff...
10/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - How long until I see a difference in my horse?

💡This is always a tough question to answer! Every horse is so different and often clients are aiming for different things.

We always ask clients to remember it takes time to build muscle – therefore changes to strength take time and multiple sessions over several months! Postural improvements sometimes come quicker and we have even had reports of improvements after just one session in those with gait abnormalities. We believe this is due to the proprioception of walking on the belt.

We believe using the treadmill in combination with your musculoskeletal practitioners treatments is the most successful way of improving your horses strength, stability and postural habits.

🤔 FAQ - Has a horse ever jumped out?💡No! Horses are unpredictable animals but we have a strict method and always have at...
09/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Has a horse ever jumped out?

💡No! Horses are unpredictable animals but we have a strict method and always have at least 2 handlers in the room, minimising risk.

🤔 FAQ - Have you ever had a horse refuse to go on?💡In short no. We have had horses who have been very unsure about going...
08/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Have you ever had a horse refuse to go on?

💡In short no. We have had horses who have been very unsure about going on first time but we always take our time to allow them to relax and gain confidence in the environment.

We always have 3 handlers on hand for the first session and we have developed a system for keeping horse and staff safe and giving the horse the best possible experience.

There has only been a couple of horses over the past 4.5 years for whom it has been decided that the treadmill will not benefit them BUT all horses have gone onto the machine and the sessions have been finished safely.

🤔 FAQ - Why do horses wear a nappy when on the water treadmill?💡We use a nappy on the water treadmill to prevent poo fro...
07/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Why do horses wear a nappy when on the water treadmill?

💡We use a nappy on the water treadmill to prevent poo from entering the water. This helps us to keep our water particularly clean. We have worked with Formax/Aqua Icelander Equine to develop the best possible nappy and we have never had a problem with a horse wearing a nappy.

🤔 FAQ - Does my horse have to wear a bridle?💡We put a bridle on every horse the first time they attend. However, if ther...
06/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Does my horse have to wear a bridle?

💡We put a bridle on every horse the first time they attend. However, if there is a reason your horse cannot wear a bridle, please let us know.

🤔 FAQ - Should my horse have a day off the following day? Can I ride my horse the same day? 💡We recommend that the water...
05/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Should my horse have a day off the following day? Can I ride my horse the same day?

💡We recommend that the water treadmill is treated in the same way you might treat a schooling session. There is no reason your horse should need a day off after but every horse is different and some may be more tired than others. We suggest riding your horse the day after and seeing how they feel – some horses school really well the day after a session, others like an easy day.

Unless you are aiming for a very high level of fitness (high level event horses/racehorses/endurance horses) we wouldn't recommend riding your horses the same day as a session.

🤔 FAQ - Do I need to speak to my vet first?💡Yes, IF the horse is attending for rehabilitation purposes or if the horse h...
04/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - Do I need to speak to my vet first?

💡Yes, IF the horse is attending for rehabilitation purposes or if the horse has a current injury(even if this isn't why you're attending).

If you are bringing your horse purely for general fitness you do not need to speak to your vet first, however, we always recommend a whole team approach so speaking to your vet, and physiotherapist/chiropractor/osteopath is great idea.

🤔 FAQ - How high does the water go?💡The water can go as high as needed but it is not a case of deeper being better. Duri...
03/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - How high does the water go?

💡The water can go as high as needed but it is not a case of deeper being better. During the first session the water is kept very low to allow the horse to get used to treadmill. Once the horse is happy and relaxed, we will start to increase water height.

Generally, we first build the water up to fetlock height and we do not work above this until the horse is able to maintain straightness. This can take one session or several months of sessions, depending on the horse. Once this is achieved, most horses will build up to mid cannon height.

Research shows that mid cannon to just below the knee is the most productive water height. Above this some of the benefits can be lost. One of the main reasons for this is the fact horses tend to lift their heads higher as the water gets deeper (and can splash on their noses). However, there are some circumstances when deeper water can be desirable (or at least the benefit can outweigh the negatives).

In all rehab cases we follow your vets advice on water height. We are also always happy to feed back to your physiotherapist/chiropractor or osteopath to help develop the best programme for your horse.

Aside from rehabilitation of specific injuries one reason for deeper water can be that it would be good for the limbs to be cooled, perhaps your horse has galloped or competed and you would like a one off cooling session - please do speak to our team about this.

🤔 FAQ - My horse doesn't like water. Does that mean he/she won't go on the treadmill?💡Definitely not! There is no water ...
02/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - My horse doesn't like water. Does that mean he/she won't go on the treadmill?

💡Definitely not! There is no water in the treadmill when the horse first goes on and we give them time to adjust to a dry belt before introducing water. When the water comes into the machine it is very gradual (and controlled by us). Due to the way it enters the machine it is not like asking a horse to walk directly into water, therefore, we find no correlation between horses who will not willing walk into water and those that will walk on the water treadmill.

However, we have noticed some horse being more confident in the way they move through water when ridden after using the water treadmill

📱WhatsApp Emma to book 07868241315📱

🤔 FAQ - What happens in a session?💡When you arrive at the water treadmill, please have your horse unloaded, with travel ...
01/12/2023

🤔 FAQ - What happens in a session?

💡When you arrive at the water treadmill, please have your horse unloaded, with travel boots removed ready for the start time of your session.

A member of the Coldharbour team will take your horse, so you can relax and watch the session. First the nappy will be placed on (this helps keep our water super clean), then your horse’s legs will be washed off and hooves washed out (please make sure your horse is clean and feet picked out before arrival as we do not have time to fully clean your horse).

If it is your horses first session with us, your horse will be walked all the way through the treadmill once.

Then your horse will be lead on the machine and the machine doors shut. The session on the treadmill will begin. The horse will walk in a dry belt before water is gradually added.

There will always be at least two members of staff in the session (always 3 for first timers).

Whilst your horse is on the machine please feel free to ask question and take pictures/videos.

At the end your horse’s legs will be washed off once more before you take him/her home.

🤔FAQ - How long is a water treadmill session? 💡Sessions run every 30 minutes. The longest we work the horses for with wa...
30/11/2023

🤔FAQ - How long is a water treadmill session?

💡Sessions run every 30 minutes. The longest we work the horses for with water in the machine is 20 minutes.

First timers tend to work on the machine for 8 to 15 minutes depending on their level of fitness and how they take to the exercise. We monitor horses closely and can slowly increase the time over multiple session.

If a horse shows signs of fatigue we end the session as it isn't productive to keep working them and it can have a negative impact. Signs of fatigue to look out for include loosing straightness, no longer flexing joints as much, being less willing to go forward and loosing rhythm.

📱WhatsApp Emma to book your session now 07868241315📱

🤔 FAQs - How often does my horse need to use the treadmill?💡This depends on what you want to achieve and how quickly.We ...
29/11/2023

🤔 FAQs - How often does my horse need to use the treadmill?

💡This depends on what you want to achieve and how quickly.

We recommend that a horses first 3 sessions are all within 3 – 10 days. It usually takes at least 3 sessions for the horse to acclimatise to the water treadmill. Shown in research by the fact heart rate normally increases during the first 3 sessions.

After the first 3 sessions we recommend that your horse uses the treadmill at least weekly in order to see the most benefit (Benefits will still be seen if used less often but improvements to way of going will take longer).

If using the treadmill to come back into work post time off/injury the treadmill can be used as often as daily. This is useful when walk work is required but it needs to be in a controlled environment or without the weight of a rider.

If you're unsure what would be best for you and your horse contact Emma on WhatsApp. 📱07868241315📱

We always recommend speaking to your vet, physiotherapist and chiropractor about the best plan for your horse.

Our next series of posts will be frequently asked questions about the equine water treadmill.We have a list prepared but...
28/11/2023

Our next series of posts will be frequently asked questions about the equine water treadmill.

We have a list prepared but if you have a question you want answered let us know 😀

Let's begin with a simple question....

What are your Christmas opening times?

We will have limited availability over the festive period to allow our staff to enjoy some family time. Please see the pictures attached for both our regular opening times and our festive opening times!

📱WhatsApp Emma on 07868241315📱

🍕 When Equestrian Employers 'give your staff pizza day' turns into pizza for breakfast the next day 🍕
25/11/2023

🍕 When Equestrian Employers 'give your staff pizza day' turns into pizza for breakfast the next day 🍕

*💵*Price Reduction!! *💵*We are please to say that we have REDUCED the cost of our water treadmill sessions for block boo...
24/11/2023

*💵*Price Reduction!! *💵*

We are please to say that we have REDUCED the cost of our water treadmill sessions for block bookings of 3 and 5!

We have also introduced a £10 discount for the first session a horse has with us.

Blocks of 10 sessions are now £378 but if you book before Christmas we will honour the previous price of £375.

So, if you are starting to think about getting your horse fit for the 2024 season don't hesitate book today!

Please whatsapp Emma on 07868241315 to book.

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Faringdon
SN78JE

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Our Story

At Coldharbour Grazing we specialise in pre-training racehorses, breaking in horses of all disciplines and looking after horses in need of rehabilitation.

We strive to treat every horse as an individual and aim to create an environment in which all horses can thrive. We are a small team of people who are passionate about horses and bring together a wealth of experience. This combined with our exceptional facilities helps us to provide a top quality service for both horse and owner.